1984
1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year that started on a Sunday, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. It was the year the Autobots and Decepticons re-activate on Earth, and two years after Cobra made itself known with the capture of Dr. Adele Burkhart. Births * Daniel R. "Wet Down" Alexander born in Norfolk, VA. * Melinda Lossman born in Salem, CA. Events January * January 24 – The Apple Macintosh is introduced. February * February 3 - STS-41-B: Space Shuttle Challenger is launched on the 10th space shuttle mission. * February 7 – Astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart make the first untethered space walk. March * March 15th - After a harsh string of bills that included having to purchase a new car and medical bills for his sons, Sparkplug Witwicky finds himself unable to pay the second month of mortgage payments. The bank begins foreclosing on the Witwicky home. * March 16th - The United States Geological Survey publishes a warning about increased seismic earthquake activity at or very close to Mt. St. Hillary . April * April 2 – Indian Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma is launched into space, aboard the Soyuz T-11. *April 17 - Sparkplug manages to avoid foreclosure by promising to pay for backed and current mortgage payment. The only way he was able to stave off virtual homelessness was to take a lucrative contract on an offshore oil rig. The only way he was able to do this was to get his brother andsister-in-law to look after young Buster and somewhow convince the offshore oil company that his other son was 16. Spike was soon taken out of school a few weeks before summer started. Without access to streets to ride on, movies to go to, or friends his age, Spike secretly began writing journal entries beginning with "Worst Summer Ever - Day..." before his daily journal while trying his best to put a positive spin on events for his father. July * July 25 – Salyut 7: Cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to perform a space walk. August * August 30 – STS-41-D: The Space Shuttle Discovery takes off on its maiden voyage. September * September 2 – Seven people are shot and killed and 12 wounded in the Milperra massacre, a shootout between the rival motorcycle gangs Bandidos and Comancheros in Sydney. * September 5 - STS-41-D: The Space Shuttle Discovery lands after its maiden voyage. * September 17, 1984 - Autobots and Decepticons re-activate on Earth. Sparkplug Witwicky and his son, Spike, were rescued from certain death on an offshore oil rig by the Autobots after the Decepticons mounted an attack. Spike and Sparkplug soon assist the Autobots in learning more about Earth. October * October 5 – STS-41-G: Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian in space, aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. * October 19th - The chance to live with another alien race proves too alluring for Sparkplug, especially knowing that the experience will give both sons opportunities in life that he currently cannot provide. Thus, a plan was worked out that would later put occasional strain on all Witwickys involved: Spike and Sparkplug would live at the Ark and begin to help the Autobots know more about Earth. Ron and Judy would provide the shelter Buster needed because of his age, but would join his father and son a few years later. The difficult compromise forced Sparkplug to work less and less at his full-time job and more with the Autobots, where he received little to no money. As a result, the bank eventually foreclosed on the Witwicky house. The situation began the foundation of a major rift between Spike and Buster, which would last almost 20 years. November * November 19 - The San Juanico Disaster causes a massive series of explosions at a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) tank farm in San Juanico, Mexico, outside of Mexico City. Other * The merger between Blackrock and MexiCo Oil became the largest merger in world history at the time. Because of its size, MexiCo divested many of its worldwide operating subsidiaries and sold some MexiCo stations and a refinery in the eastern United States to satisfy US antitrust requirements. * "Heyday" - Sparkplug and Spike find their niche on the Ark. Witwicky What If? Universe Logs *What If...Sparkplug said "No"? : Sparkplug makes a quick decision to not help the Autobots after getting rescued by the Autobots. Sparkplug stands by the decision, but his decision has lifetime implications for Spike. References * The Transformers Category:IC Years Category:1984